Direction signal



March 16 1926.

7 1,577,373 0. E. SHARP DIRECTION SIGNAL Filed y 25, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 16, 1926 entree stares OTIS E SHARE, OF k ZDDI-JEVIIILE MICHIGAN.

DIRECTION SIGNAL.

Application filed May 25, 1925. Serial No. 32,815. 1

To all to 72 am it may conccm Be it known that I, Oris E. SHARP, a citizen ot' the United States, residing at Middleville, in the county of Barry and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Iniprovements in DirectionSignals, of which the-following is a specification. I

'lhisinvention relates to signaling devices, particularly to those of the mechanically operated type adapted tobe used upon motor vehicles and has for its object the provision of a novel signal adapted to 'be mounted upon an automobile of the open or closed type and operable whereby to give a visible ndication; to drivers of approaching and following cars, traffic ofiicers, pedestrians and other interested parties, o;t any contemplated change in direction or a stop.

Another ob ect of the invention 1s the pro- VlSlOD. of a signal of this-character provided withnovel means wherehy 'to hold the signal in the selected position and prevent it from accidental movement. Y

The invention further contemplates'vari ous improvements in the structural details which will insure cheapness in manufacture, ease in operation, positivenessin a general improvement in the art. r

Withthe aboveand other objectsand ad vantages in view, the invention consists in the details of construction'to be hereinafter more fully described andclaimed, and illus'-' Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through the signal arm itself on a larger scale, 3

Figure 4\ is a cross section on the line -ii 'i of Flgure 3,

Figure 5 is a detail section showing the manner of mounting the device upon a touring car or the like, i

Figure 6 1s a detail perspective view of a clamping bracket, r

Figure 7 is a detail perspective view of a bearing memben r Referring more particularly to the drawings, Ihave shown my signal device as comprising an elongated hollow-'arnrlO which might in actual practice be formedof one action and piece of material, such as sheet metal or the like or which may be built up of any clesired numberof pieces suitably secured toget ier, these details being immaterial. Secured upon one end of this hollow arm or casing 10 is an end member 11 which includes a head 12 and a cud portion'l3 preferably telescoped onto the arm or casing 10 and securedthereto by any desired means. The head 1" is formed with a centralopening 1% and corrugations or teeth 15 for a purpose to be described.

Secured to the other or outer end of the arm or casing 10 is a cap 16 held in place by any desired means and carrying a socket 17 for holding an incandescentbulb 18 which has its central terminal adapted to engage a contact 13 mounted upon a member 20 of iiisnlating material secured to the cap 16; The bulb preferably of the' single contact type,

one terminal ot the'iilamentbeinggrounded and the other being connected with the central terminal.

I lurrcnt is supplied to the bulb through wire 2l suitably trained along within the arm or casing -10 and brought out through openings 22 so as to be connected with a suitable switch device in- (heated generally at 23 mounted on theqdash has one face provided with radial or other convenient location. At opposite" sides, the arm or casing 10 is provided with elongated openings; 24' covered with panes of glass or other transparent material" indicated at 25 so thatthe arm will beclearly visible when. the bulb is energized; F urther more, the arm 1s provided with other open; -1ngs 26 located opposite the ncandescent bulb andthese openings are covered with other panes of glass indicatedat 9,7, which panes might be colored-led or any other color, as pret'erredg in order to be conspicuous when the'deviceisilluminated. Ob-

. \"iouslyany desired means might be provided for holding the various panes of glass in place though forthe sake of illustrationI have shown clips 28 which will operate very etiicien tlyfx i For mounting the signal farm upon a vehicle of the closed type? such" as sedans, limous nes or the like, the arrangements disclosed n-F1gure2 maybe used. 'lll'tlllS ngure, the numeral 30 des1gnates a shait whit-hi ournaled through a suitable hole in theZtraineT'IQS) alongside the windshield. 'lhisishaft 'alsopass'es through a bracket 31 secured on th'e' insideof the car, andthis bracket is provided with a peripheral flange 32 formed at intervals with notches 33, S t and 35. These notches are intended to engage with a crank handle 36 on one end of the shaft'29 for the purpose of holding the crank handle, and consequently the shaft, in a selected position. The shaft 29 passes through a washer 37 and is encircled by a coil spring 38 disposed between this washer and the outside of the front of. the car. The washer 37 has teeth or corrugations thereon coacting with the teeth. or corrugations 15 on the headl2, sothat an adjustment may be. made of. the position of the arm or signal 10 with respect to the operating crank 36. The free end of the shaft 29 passes through the hole 1% in the head 12 and securing is effected by means of a suitable nut 38.

hen the device is to be mounted upon a touring car roadster or the like, the mounting may be as shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7. Referring to these figures, it will be observed that use is made of. an angular bracket 39 formed with an elongated bearing. 40 through which is journaled a shaft 4:]. equipped at one end with a crank handle 32 movable over a plate. member 43 having a flange ist at one edge notched in exactly the same manner as the flange 32 above described. For holding this structure to the windshield frame A, use is made of a sectional clamping plate 15 which is arranged in partially embracing relation to the side bar of the windshield frame and which is bolted or otherwise suitably secured to the bearing member 40. The shaft 41 carries the signal arm or casing 10 by passing through the head 12 thereof and being held by anut 46. A coil spring 47 is provided in encircling relation to the shaft 41 and in abutting relation to a stop washer l8 .and a disk 49, the latter being secured to the shaft and having notches coacting with the above described notches 15. In the operation of both forms of the device, it will be'apparent that under ordinary circumstances, the switch 23 may be opened in order that the device will not be illuminated thereby indicating that the vehicle is going to travel straight ahead and not make any turns or stops. In case the operator contemplates making a turn to the left, the switch 23 may be closed to energize the bulb 18 and the crank handle is turned until it engages within the central notch whereupon the signal will be in the position shown by full lines in Figure 1. A turn to the right may be indicated by swinging the crank handle into engagement with the lowermost notch while a contemplated stop may be signaled by moving the crank handle into engagement with the uppermost notch. These second named positions are shownby dottedlines" in Figure 1. Owing to the provision of the coil spring surrounding the operating shaft it is obvious that the crank handle will be held in firm engagement with the peripheral flange on the guide plate and that when the handle is opposite a notch it will slip thereinto and be consequently prevented from further movement so that the signal will remain in set position until positively shifted into a different position. The purpose of having notches or corrugations on the members 12 and 37 and 12 and 19 is to permit adjustment and maintain the parts in adjusted position so that the position of the signal member may be regulated with respect to the operating member.

In actual practice the device possessesfeatures of advantage in addition to the use as a signal inasmuch as when traveling at night with the signal device hanging down and illuminated it will serve as a guide so that the drivers of other cars will.v know just where to drive to avoid striking or brushing against the car. Furthermore, the device is readily capable of use as a parking lamp. If the arrangement be such that the signal device be raised into a vertical position it can be used to give a signal for indicating a contemplated back or reverse operation. Quite naturally, many localities may have different regulations as to the character of signals to be given when making turns, stops or backing but in every instance it is readily possible to adapt the present device to fulfill. the requirement.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings, it will be apparent that. Ihave thus provided a simply constructed, inexpensive and easily installed signal device which is very easy to operate and which will be. a great safeguard to the public inasmuch as tending to prevent traflic congestion, collisions and the like which frequently results from lack of knowledge of a drivers intent-ions.

\Vhile I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that I reserve the right to make such changes. in the form, construction and ar angement of parts as will not depart from the spirit of. the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. A signal device of. the character described comprising a bearing member carrying clamping means adapted for engagementupon the side of a motor vehicle windshield, said bearing member being formed at one end with an attaching plate portion, a segmental plate secured to said attaching plate portion and having anupturned flange formed with aplurality of notches, a shaft rotatably and slidably mounted through said bearing member and through said segmental plate, an operating handle onsaid shaft. adapted to be. engaged within a selected one of said notches, a washer member secured upon said shaft in spaced relation to the adjacent end of the bearing member, said washer having a serrated face, and a signal member having a head engaged and secured upon said shaft, the face of the head toward said washer being serrated whereby adjustment of the signal member with respect to the handle may be effected.

2. In a signal device of the character described, an arm, a bracket adapted to be mounted upon a vehicle, an operating shaft journaled through said bracket and equipped with a crank handle, said shaft carrying said arm, a guide plate having a peripheral flange against which said crank handle rides, said flange being provided with a plu- "ality o't notches, and spring means urging said shaft longitudinally whereby the crank handle will bear against said flange, said arm terminating in a head provided with radial corrugations, and a washer secured to said shaft and having corrugations co-acting with the first named corrugations whereby to effect adjustment of the arm with respect to the shaft and crank handle thereon.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

OTIS E. SHARP. 

